A North East MP said people “should be taking to the streets in disgust” at Chancellor George Osborne’s plans to cut help for disabled people, as the Government appeared to be heading for another u-turn.

Ian Lavery, Labour MP for Wansbeck, was one of a number of MPs to condemn the decision to cut spending on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) by £4.4 billion over five years, after the savings were revealed in this week’s Budget.

The payments can be used by people with disabilities to pay for equipment to help them with daily living, such as getting dressed, bathing or using the toilet. They can also help to pay for a car or other vehicle.

It follows another recent cut to disability benefits after Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) for some disabled or seriously ill people was reduced by £30 a week. The people affected will be new claimants who are in the “work-related activity group”, which means they are considered to be capable of working if they receive training and advice.

But the latest cut has provoked a furious backlash, with some Conservative MPs joining Labour in expressing concerns.

Mr Lavery said help for disabled people was being cut to save money which could be spent on cuts to corporation tax.

He said: “It is open hostility against disabled and vulnerable people.

He added; “There will be long-term knock-on effects leading to additional strain on other services such as the NHS, at significant cost.

“Many people who are likely to lose PIP will also be affected by the cuts to ESA, leaving them without any vital financial support for their disability.”

And Blaydon Labour MP Dave Anderson said: “It’s not a surprise but I think it’s a disgrace that they are even thinking about it.

“This is about what kind of world we want to live in. Do we want to live in a world where disabled people can’t live on their own, or can’t get the support they need?”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party would force a vote on the PIP cuts in the House of Commons.

But there were signs that the Treasury was paving the way for a u-turn, with the Chancellor saying he would talk to charities and groups representing disabled people before coming to a final decision.

Mr Osborne said: “In the coming months we will be talking to colleagues, to disability charities, to make sure we get this absolutely right.”

And Education Secretary Nicky Morgan also appeared to indicate ministers could be open to a rethink, describing the plan as no more than a “suggestion” that is still being discussed in Government.

In fact, the proposed cuts were set out clearly in the Treasury’s documents accompanying Mr Osborne’s Budget statement, where they were presented as a measure which was going ahead.

Chancellor George Osborne delivers a speech on the Northern Powerhouse

Mr Osborne backed down last year over proposed cuts to tax credits, and announced a tax on hot foods known as the “pasty tax” in 2012, only to reverse the decision two months later in the face of opposition.

Forcing a climbdown would bolster Mr Corbyn’s decision, following a fresh round of speculation that critics in the Labour Party could attempt to unseat him after the EU referendum vote on June 23.

And a new opinion poll by YouGov has placed Labour in the lead for the first time since the 2015 general election, giving Labour 34% of the vote and the Conservatives 33%, in another boost to Mr Corbyn.

But a u-turn would be no help to Mr Osborne’s hopes of becoming Conservative leader. He is expected to put himself forward as a candidate when David Cameron stands down, which the Prime Minister has promised to do some time before May 2020.